In a letter marked "Confidential" and dated March 14, 1859, Andrew J. Mead of Manhattan wrote to enlist Halderman in his (Mead's) effort to get Russell, Majors, & Waddell to use a new Blue River ferry at Manhattan called Johnstons ferry when they began hauling freight over the "Great Central Route via Smoky Hill" to the gold mines. Mead was "deeply interested" in this ferry and wished to negotiate a contract with the freighters for its use.

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